SOME SUCCESS AT LONG LAST.

Popped down to the local patch again Friday morning getting to Marsh Lane just before 9.00 AM.It was sunny but very cold.

The Cetti's Warbler was showing in the reeds in front of the N causeway hide but as usual it was flitting around out of site.It often sang out very close to the hide but I'm damned if you could spot it.Got some shots though. 

The Grey Wagtail came into the marsh for a wash and brush up.

There were a lot of winter Thrushes around the reserve but were always too far off to get a decent shot.This is all I got.

This morning just after 8.00 AM as I was washing up the breakfast dishes I received a text from my good friend John Hunt "A Hawfinch is showing in the Berkswell churchyard but distant" I had planned to stay in today but as I'd not seen a Hawfinch for years I thought Sod it I'll go.

Got there at 8.30 AM and joined John in the churchyard.There were two bits of bad news.John hadn't seen it for ages and my god was it cold there with snow flurries drifting down.

Luckily John spotted one in the Yew tree nearest the church after about 15 minutes later.It was bit gloomy in the tree but great too see one after all these years. 

Luckily the Hawfinch showed very briefly on the sunny side of the tree.

OFF TO THE LOCAL PATCH AGAIN.

Popped over to Marsh lane again yesterday morning.It was sunny but pretty cold so I had fingers crossed that my thermals would not be penetrated.

Had some luck in the N Causeway hide when I spotted the Cetti's Warbler again.This time it was in a bush to the left of the hide.A bit distant for my lens and the bush was a mass of twigs but it did stay there for a while.No keepers but here are my best shots.

The marsh next to the Oak hide was pretty quiet but there were a few Common Snipe showing.

The Tawny Owl was not showing for me down the streamline and a Goldcrest there would not hang around for me to get a shot off.A Song Thrush was in one of the trees down there.

I then got a runaround by a fine looking male Goosander.I first spotted it from the causeway hide heading to the river hide but when I dashed to that hide gasping for air it was heading away to the CP hide.After another dash to the CP hide this time and again gasping for air it was heading off to the top of the pool.Damn ! !

I did manage a few heavily cropped shots.

Just as I was about to leave the A380 flew past.It always seems to be flying very slowly and far too low. 

Early this morning got this shot of a Pondhopper through a closed bedroom window.It was on a neighbour's roof checking out the local ponds for breakfast.

TWO MORE VISITS TO THE LOCAL PATCH.

After the weekly shop at Sainsbury's I popped over to Marsh Lane on Monday morning.The promised "Sunny weather" had not happened and it was pretty cold and gloomy.

The only interesting birds were 4 Herring Gulls on the CP pool. Didn't manage to check if there was a Yellow-legged Gull among them (too gloomy).

Went down again yesterday morning.If anything it was even more gloomy.As I crossed the streamline all the birds on the RW pool took to the air.I was too slow to spot the Peregrine responsible and only got a couple of shots as it flew off in the distance.

The good news in the oak hide was that a Grey Wagtail paid a visit to the marsh.The bad news was that the gloom was making hard to get even a half decent shot.Here a few that weren't too bad.

Also in the marsh were 6 Common Snipe.

On the way back to the CP in the reeds in front of the N causeway hide the very elusive Cetti's Warbler was flitting around.It did not play ball and never came close.This is all I got. 

This is one I took earlier (last spring) quite near the N causeway hide.Same bird ?

TWO MORE VISITS TO THE LOCAL PATCH.

Been down to my local patch a couple of times this week on Wednesday and yesterday mornings.On both days it was sunny and not too cold but on both days I struggled to find any great birds.

Did get some shots for the first time this Winter of Fieldfares and Redwings but no keepers.Good to see though.

On Wednesday I failed to catch up with the Brambling that others had seen.Some Long-tailed Tits felt sorry for me and posed for some pics.

This is a shot of a old fool searching in his garden for a Goldcrest that was singing but  not showing.What an idiot.

TWO VISITS TO THE LOCAL PATCH.

Popped over to Marsh Lane early on Friday morning and after the ringer left I had the place to myself which was not a surprise as it was pretty gloomy.

Saw a pair of Linnets near the CP feeders.

Still in the CP area I then had an interesting half an hour with a Greater Spotted Woodpecker.The flight shot with a bit better luck could have been a really good one. 

I spotted what I thought may be a juvenile Herring Gull on the CP pool but I'm not too good with Gulls.

Thought I'd made a mistake this lunchtime when arriving at Marsh Lane for another visit the weather that had looked like it was brightening up had gone very gloomy and the wind had got up.I was not too down for long because for the first time in a while the Tawny Owl along the streamline was showing.Managed my best shots ever of an adult Tawny Owl.